Good Family Trips -- Vicksburg and Shiloh
‘Yes,’ replied Grant, ‘lick ‘em tomorrow, though.’ During the night two Union gunboats bombarded the Confederate forces. The forces at Crump's Landing which had been lost all the first day arrived along with Buell's Army of the Cumberland. Monday morning dawned with 23,000 reinforcements and the Union counter attacked. Confederate forces now commanded by Pierre Beauregard were forced to retreat back to Corinth. It was an intense battle with many head long charges into defensive lines. Casualities were so large 10,000 CSA and 13,000 Union that it seemed unbelievable; it was the first of many battles with large losses in the civil war. Grant wrote that after this battle he decided the Union would only be restored if the South was completely conquered.
Tennessee River Pittsburg Landing
Halleck came to Shiloh and assumed command on April 11th, Grant chaffed but stayed on without a specified role. Halleck moved slowly to Corinth occupying the abandoned defenses after Beauregard had pulled off a great bluff. Fortunately for the Union Halleck became General in Chief and served in Washington D.C. the rest of the war. The politics of the army continued, but Grant stayed in overall command in this theater. The Mississippi River was in Union control except for Vicksburg. Western Tennessee stayed in Union control. Confederate offensive operations from this point in the war were more accurately described as raids. Some raids were highly successful especially those of Nathan Bedford Forrest.
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